St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-11-01

&[HXGER <&C that GauulS-
sart's deScen-
$8 dantS are I'M
kind diVinitieS.
On the contrary, they are, as rule,
pood-natured devils. fond of the plea
sures of the table, which is a very legiti-
mate liking, besides heartily relishing a
good laugh and making the most of life:
These gay companions are not satisfied
with enjoying everything alone. A fig
for egOtiSm, that vice of ill-natured peO-
piel Their gayetY is of a cOmmunlca-
tive sort, and their supreme delight is to
relate to each other the tricks and
FRANKS practiced on some fellow drum
mer. Their jokes are generally OF free
and easy species, and, as rule, no
drummer cares about keeping the last
lick. indie irde. From this peculiarly
arises an unquenchable thirst for re-
Yenge.
Their anger is generally short lived,
and is soon diSsipated by the contents
of a bottle of champagne. They are
very unrelenting, however, and they
make it a matter of conscience to get
even with the fellow joker that has
hoaXed them. Just think! Let us i'm
agine one of them to have been at Per
igneuX, the victim of practical joke!
How could he dare to return to that
town. the scene of ROmen's greatest
exploits, unless he could say at the
table d'hOte: "YOu know, | caught up
with him at Bordeaux, and, | tell you, L
, paid him back in his own coin with
: heavy interest" Instances are cited in
which retribution has been delayed for
7 two or three years. and the sweets of
revenge enjoyed only after the victim
had travelled to every nook and corner
of France; but, like certain wines that
are improved by voyage to India and
, back. the enjoyment was all the greater
on account of the delay. 1t is no rare
thing to hear the Chevalier de la Guelt,
escOrting the Baron dcS RaSSignOld to
the depot at BeZiers, say: CAS- for you,
old fellow, l shall pay you back at Dun
kirk in six months time" The Baron
DIES RossignOld may rely on the cheva-
lier's meeting his obligations at ma
turity.
As for me, said friend Doublure, / did
not have to wait so very long for re-
yenge, the last time, when l got even
with that COMPOUNDED scamp, Bechard.
Bechard is not a bad fellow, but he is the
most inveterate Joker that ever lived.
His system is rather on the old style.
He has no creative genius, and tries to
keep ahead by practicing lot of CLASH
cal jokes which he always keeps in
stock. His imagination is so sterile that
he is compelled to rely on quantity to
replace what is wanting in quality.
But, in this world, everybody does the
best he can. Yet, in doing what he can,
Bechard becomes bore with his jokes.
When he has picked any one out as the
butt of his wit the victim has either to
display his temper, which always shows
bad form, or TO leave the place to
Richard and 90 elsewhere
On my last trip to Quimper had need
of all my patience on his account. Hav-
ing stopped at the Hotel de PEpee,
met him at the breakfast table. De-
lighted in finding a good subject to
practice on, my friend Bechard went to
work without loss of time. In the even
ing, at dinner, fritterS were brought in.
Bechard, who had left the dining room
for minute, returned just in time to
take the dish from the waiter and place
the fritterS upon my plate. At the first
bite nv teeth met with a soft resistance
that set them on edge. l took the fritter
between my fingers, and opening it, l
found a small card, round as coin,
bearing this inscription: 1.-The best
cloth may be had from the house
of -" giving the name of the firm
represented by my friend Bechard. l
put on pleasant face over the matter,
and, after dinner, we started out to-
gether to the coffee house.
On the sidewalk, at the very door of
the hotel, Bechard offered me Lon
dreS, which l accepted; he was even
kind enough to hand me burning
match. / lit my cigar, but before | had
gone fifty steps, pschtt! real Roman
candle blaZed out between my teeth.
nearly binding one of my customers
who had come up to speak to me. He
went away furious. and / lost his trade.
while, at the distance of three steps,
Bechard was clinging to lamp post,
laughing to kill himself. At the coffee
house he caused me to stumble, thereby
making me tear the cloth of the billiard
table, which mishap cost NE twenty
francs. Later on we returned to the
hotel.
We stayed awhile, chatting with the
landlord. Bechard soon left us, beg
ging to be excused, as he felt very
sleepy. l did not go up stairs until fully
a quarter of an hour after he did, and |
am sure that you will not be aStonished
when l tell you that he had made good
use of the fifteen minutes. When
] put my key into the lock |
found that l could not open the
door; it was fastened on the inside.
After all, was it really my room? Evil
IDENTITY not, as heard OH the inside the
grumbling of somebody whose slumbers
had been disturbed. l returned down
stairs. No, there was no mistake.
.'YOur room is No. Is, sir" / went up
again. and this time succeeded in OPEN
ing the door. am in my room. No, by
JOvei it belongs to somebody else, for
there is person in the bed. l beg his
pardon, and am on the point of with
drawing when an idea strikes me.
Going to the bed i gently tap the sleeper
on the shoulder and find that l have
been trying to arouse-my bolster, to
which had been addressing my apollo
gies. soon found the solution of the
mystery when discovered a panel door
i'm one of the corners of the room. 1t
was plain that Bechard had managed to
get the room next to mine. tried the
Door. The rascal had barricaded the
door. | raped. A loud snOre was the
only answer got. The joke had been
carried out to the end-the end, no, not
vet. for as / endeavored to slip i'll be-
tween the sheets my progress was. ar
rested by an earthenware vessel artlstl-
cally covered up. Bechard was un-
doubtedly great man.
/ got in bed at last and fell asleep
while rC(1lying i'll my mind different